The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, Federal Reserve Board, National Credit Union Administration and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency requested comment on September 11, 2026, on proposed guidance for financial institutions managing risks associated with third-party relationships. Comments are due 60 days after the proposal is published in the Federal Register.
The proposal would establish a principles-based approach intended to help banks and credit unions align and tailor their risk-management practices to the risks presented by individual third-party relationships. The agencies said the proposal reflects their supervisory experience and lessons learned from examining financial institutions’ third-party risk-management practices; like all supervisory guidance, it would be non-binding.
After finalizing the proposal, the federal bank regulatory agencies plan to rescind their existing third-party risk-management guidance and replace it with the new guidance. The agencies said this change is intended to promote consistency and prudent innovation in the banking industry.
Separately, the federal bank regulatory agencies issued a statement addressing community banks’ engagement with core service providers. The statement discusses certain factors the agencies will consider when making supervisory and enforcement decisions related to those providers.
The Federal Reserve Board also separately requested comment on a proposed third-party risk-management guide specifically for community banks under its supervision. That proposed guide is intended to accompany the broader interagency guidance.